The Rice on the Road lecture series, which is exploring social justice issues through excursions featuring mobile panels and on-site conversations, moves ahead with last two lectures based in the community on Friday, April 4, and on Monday, April 7.
The Friday session, from noon to 2 p.m., Fracking: Understanding its Local Impact, will visit several sites south of Pittsburgh, including a fracking well, as participants examine the economic, environmental, legal and political dimensions of the issues, and how they are impacting the Pittsburgh area. Fracking advocates tout its potential to create American energy independence, to provide a transitional energy source while renewable energy technology is developed and to stimulate economies. Critics contend that fracking pollutes air and water, raises earthquake risks and that the ostensible financial benefits of fracking are not realized equitably.
Monday’s session, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Exploring Community Trauma, is the last off-campus lecture in this year’s series. The session will look at violence, poverty, homelessness and discrimination as examples of some of the crises affecting communities. When these crises continue, sometimes for generations, individuals and whole communities can experience trauma that adversely affects health, safety, public education and community vitality.
Participants gathering for this session at the Thelma Lovette YMCA on the Hill District’s Centre Avenue will witness dialogue among community members, educators, counselors and psychologists as they explore trauma-informed communities. Lunch will be served.
The lecture series will conclude with a closing dialogue on Tuesday, April 15, from noon to 2 p.m. in the Power Center. Join select panelists from the four excursions for a “flipped” conversation where, rather than ask panelists to field questions, panelists will instead pose questions to the audience in an effort to foster fresh perspectives on justice education, collaboration and University-community relations.
All Rice on the Road events are free and open to the public. For more information, or to register, contact the Center for the Catholic Intellectual Tradition by calling 412.396.1595.